When Nord-Lock®, part of the Nord-Lock Group, introduced the innovative wedge-locking technology in 1982, the company swiftly rose to its current market-leading position as the global leader for bolting solutions. Now, the company is once again breaking new ground by announcing the addition of CE marking to its wedge-locking washers.  

Today, no other global supplier offers CE-marked securing washers, and that Nord-Lock now accomplishes the feat puts the company in a unique position in the building and construction industry. 

A natural step on the journey  

The CE marking is a requirement for anyone supplying products to the building and construction industry within the European Union (EU), ensuring that products comply with the EU’s rigorous safety and quality regulations. The milestone of attaining the CE mark reinforces Nord-Lock’s raison d'etre – protecting customer investments and keeping people safe. By implication, it also reassures the already established perception of Nord-Lock being the given partner when safety and reliability really matter. 

"We are thrilled to introduce CE marking for our wedge-locking washers, reinforcing our commitment to delivering excellence in engineering and design”, says Graham Souter, Vice President, and head of the Nord Lock Business Unit. “This achievement demonstrates our dedication to compliance and safety, providing our customers with a competitive edge in their operations."  

A testament to quality   

To declare that a product is of “high quality” can mean a lot of things. So, the phrasing often gets applied somewhat by default in advertising and communication activities, occasionally without tangible efforts or actions behind it. However, in the building and construction industry, with products and components carrying the CE mark, quality is verified through rigorous processes and protocols. Constructors and manufacturers can thus be rest assured that using CE-marked products means they reach more than satisfactory quality standards. 

The way to guarantee desired levels of quality in CE-marked products goes through a Declaration of Performance. This is a “document that provides information on the performance of a construction product”, as stated by the European Commission. To obtain the CE marking for construction products, manufacturers need to have a Declaration of Performance in place.  

To ensure that the Declaration of Performance is legitimate, reliable, and accurate, the EU uses AVCP (The Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance). For standardized products, manufacturers can monitor and declare the quality performance of their products themselves. But for components like Nord-Lock washers, another more extensive system is applied. 

Washers assessed by independent expertise 

The AVCP system implemented by Nord-Lock for their washers involves third party involvement. This means that everything in the Declaration of Performance is audited and verified once a year by independent and notified assessors.  

“Adding the CE marking to our securing washers reassures constructors that one of the smallest but most critical components they’re using continuously passes stringent quality assessments”, says Frank Götz, Senior Expert at Nord-Lock Group. “And considering the growing need for reliable securing measures as projects are getting bigger and existing constructions age, being able to provide CE-marked washers is a step in the right direction.” 

A whole lot smoother  

Other than reassuring high-quality standards, one upside of using CE-marked washers is that any building and construction business, in any EU market, can seamlessly reap the renowned benefits of these washers when compliance with regulations is assured throughout the assembly process. With a locking mechanism that uses tension instead of friction, Nord-Lock washers keep bolted connections tight and secure. Even when subjected to severe vibrations or dynamic loads, operators do not have to worry about bolts in critical connections loosening.

Think Nord-Lock when safety and reliability matters 

If you face a specific bolting challenge, chances are Nord-Lock has solved it before. With CE-marked washers now being a reality, it will be easier for anyone involved in the EU’s building and construction industry to get up to speed with the safest and most reliable bolting solution available.